Watch Sarkisian’s speech at 1:15 p.m. PST on HorizonArmenianTV.com
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—In a nationally televised address Thursday, President Serzh Sarkisian, citing continued preconditions by Turkey, suspended the Armenia-Turkey protocols process, but fell short of withdrawing Armenia’s signature from the dangerous documents.
Earlier in the day, Armenia’s governing coalition issued a statement suspending further parliamentary discussion of the protocols, in what was seen as a harbinger for the president’s announcement.
“For a whole year, Turkey’s senior officials have not spared public statements in the language of preconditions. For a whole year, Turkey has done everything to protract time and fail the process,” said Sarkisian
Hence, our conclusion and position are straightforward: 1.Turkey is not ready to continue the process that was started and to move forward without preconditions in line with the letter of the Protocols. 2.The reasonable timeframes have, in our opinion, elapsed. The Turkish practice of passing the 24th of April at any cost is simply unacceptable. 3.We consider unacceptable the pointless efforts of making the dialogue between Armenia and Turkey an end in itself; from this moment on, we consider the current phase of normalization exhausted,” outlined Sarkisian.
In his announcement to not remove Armenia’s signature from the protocols and completely end the doomed process, Sarkisian cited his and Armenia’s commitment to the US, French and Russian leaders, whose efforts in establishing peace in the region, he found unwavering and stressed Armenia’s commitment to peace.
“During this period, I have discussed and continue discussing the future of the process launched with Turkey with Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Barack Obama of the United States, Dmitri Medvedev of Russia, as well as our colleagues in a number of European organizations. We are grateful to them for supporting our initiative, encouraging the process, and exerting efforts to secure progress. The atter of the fact is that our partners have urged us to continue the process, rather than to discontinue it,” said Sarkisian.
“Out of respect for them, their efforts, and their sincere aspirations, we have decided after consulting our Coalition partners and the National Security Council not to exit the process for the time being, but rather, to suspend the procedure of ratifying the Protocols. We believe this to be in the best interests of our nation,” explained Sarkisian.
“Armenia shall retain her signature under the Protocols, because we desire to maintain the existing momentum for normalizing relations, because we desire peace. Our political objective of normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey remains valid, and we shall consider moving forward when we are convinced that there is a proper environment in Turkey and there is leadership in Ankara ready to reengage in the normalization process,” added Sarkisian.
On the eve of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Sarkisian also urged international recognition of the Genocide and called on world leaders to follow suit.
The governing coalition partners, the Republican Party, Prosperous Armenia and Country of Law (Orinats Yerkir), cited the same concerns in their announcement to throw the protocols off the parliaments agenda.
Armenian Revolutionary Federation parliamentary bloc chairman and Bureau member Vahan Hovannesian said Thursday’s decision demonstrated that the ARF and the other forces united to oppose the protocols were on track, but added that the complete removal of Armenia’s signature from the protocols is the ultimate goal.
Turkey Cool Announcement
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he has “taken note” of the Armenian coalition’s decision and said his country remains loyal to the agreement to normalize ties. But he insisted on the Turkish conditions for reconciliation.
“It is up to them to decide how they want to move with the ratification process,” the Associated Press quoted Erdogan as telling a news conference. “I have expressed our loyalty to the protocols on numerous occasions. We will press ahead with the process on the principle that treaties are binding.”
“We are evaluating the content of this [Armenian] statement and what it means” legally and politically, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin told AFP news agency. “In this context, we are also discussing steps that could be taken in the coming period,” he added, without elaborating.
I wish he would withdraw Armenia’s signature… :(((((((
Mr. Davit Shahnazaryan of HAK and I would say that the Armenia-Turkish Protocols should lead to more hostilities between Armenians and Turks. It is happening in the precise way we used to say.
very good decission. President Sargsyan should have done it long time ago before his visit to US. However, it's better late than never. I think this is a step forwart bringing dirty turk to their knees.
thanks
The protocols are no longer a pretext that can be used by Obama to avoid his pledge of acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. So now what? Will he have the guts to go back to the person he was before taking office, and to put an end to this everlasting circus?
I am proud to be Armenian today. I am proud of the stance the President and the Armenian Government have taken. They said “reasonable” amount of time, and they meant it. Furthermore, the announcement robbed the Turkish and American sides of their hideout from the spectre of April 24th. Obama has 2 days to think about doing the right thing. The right thing to do is acknowledging history the way it happened, and letting the political chips fall where they may. Politics has nothing to do with History. It is Turkey, the United States etc that have linked the Armenian Genocide to the politics of their mutual interests. The fact is, that Turkey as usual has many cards to play with, and many sides it can lean towards, depending on the political wind of the time. A Chamelion to the core, and a cheater in its DNA.
The difference today, is that along with our Armenian heroes who are fighting for rightful justice, there is also a line of very courageous Turks, who are facing jail time and persecution yet are fighting to expose the truth about their ancestors, and vying for freedom of press and expression. This group that includes many intellects and historians understand that the truth will set their country free of the bondage of expensive coverups and phony and unrealistic denials. They have to be highly commended and appreciated.
MR. PRESIDENT SARGSYAN STAY FIRM ARMENIAN NATION WILL SUPPORT WE ARMENIANS ARE SATISFY THAT YOU FINALLY REALIZE WHAT DIASPORA AND ALL ARMENIAN HAVE BEEN WARNING YOU A LONG TIME AGO (AVELI LAV E USH KAN YERBEKJ) EVEN THOUGH NOW YOU ARE ON RIGHT TRACK BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH ……
DR. BABAJANIAN
USA
BVery right choise.
And this about this Erdogan man…. he is just pathetic and what about “In this context, we are also discussing steps that could be taken in the coming period” and what time period is that ? Forever ? Do people really belive in this ? Nothing has happened since the signment of the protocols.. and nothing will happend because Turkey don't understand what the protocols mean.
Nice start mr. president. Abris. But you have to pursue this to the end. The protocols are dead. Actually they were born dead. Their place is not our National Parlm.
This is reaslly a “KHELAMID” action. bravo!!!
I think we can turn the page. We have to! Turkey wants us on our knees. Never, never,never!!!!
The protocols are doomed. Dear Mr. president Sarkisian, just remove Armenia's signatures from the protocols please.
Great job ! Now what will Obama do?
If regular Armenian people should warn about the danger of these protocols to the president and his government, than I would say մեր գործը բուռթ է:
I would say that I am pleased but not satisfied until the Armenian signature is not removed under those protocols.
A very wise move by the Armenian President,You just cant trust the turks, as soon as the world finds this out,no more illicit games.Let us publicly expose turkeys stooges.
Armenia has done the right thing. It is up to Turkey to honor their treaties. They have an archive of treaties that are only on paper, and remain unemplemented for a century with many countries.
Turkey should stop treating a sovereign neighboring country as the second class citizens of the Ottoman empire; like the Turkish Christian minorities and the Kurds. Armenia is as sovereign as Turkey and has the right to demand respect in any negotiations. Next time Erdogan sends an emmisar to Armenia, he may be surprised with the reception he might get. The Protocols are dead, and rightly so, as we knew from the first day, that Turkey will blink first.
we Armenians today are stronger than ever before. Armenia, Artsakh, and our powerful diaspora are together.. that's motivating us as a strong nation which will make turks recognize their dirty history…
Barkev Asadourian
April 23, 2010 | Permalink | Reply
THIS IS RESULTS OF FREEZING THE PROTOCOLS,
INSTEAD TO DRAW THE SIGNATURES FROM PROTOCOLS
WHICH IS STILL IN FULL POWER ANY MINUTES, THAT’S WHY
THEY RE START THE CONFERENCE, THIS FREEZING IS VERY DANGER
GIVING TO TURKS BIG CHANCE TO WIN THE DIALOGE UNDER NEW
PRECONDITIONS!!! GOD HELP ARMENIANS AROUND THE WORLD
LONG LIVE A. R. F.
we dont never forget ; http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-563109…